christianreader | (no subject)

Here are my books for September/October. Since I had already written a description for my
September books on my regular LJ a while back, but my October books I hurriedly wrote brief
descriptions just this morning for Christianreader, the September books have a more detailed
description...

September Books

Dialogue with a Skeptic by Thomas Howard

This was a short book (a little less than a 100 pages), in which Howard holds an imaginary conversation with an imaginary skeptic of the Christian faith. It is very well written, and reminded me why he is one of my favorite writers of all time (in the top 10, certainly, and in the top 3 of living writers)

Free From All Error: Authorship, Inerrancy, Historicity of scripture, Church Teaching, and Modern Scripture Scholars by Fr. William Most

As the name implies, this book defends the inerrancy of Scripture, including making a moderate use of the historical-critical method. I read it online here.(It is also in print). It was very good (and is not that old, relatively speaking).

An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent by John Henry Cardinal Newman

Another book I read online here, this was the longest of the books I read this month (a little over 500 pages). In it, Newman addresses the question of how we are able to give assent to propositions, especially religious ones, and when it is valid to do so.

I heard good things about the book, and I know Newman was one of the masters of the English language, but looking at the table of contents, I wasn't sure if I would wish to read it all the way through. Needless to say, I changed my mind. It was absolutely brilliant. (Just to give you a hint, in a month in which I only read three books, and this was one of them even though it was 500 pages, you could say I was hooked on it, even though I did not think I
would be starting out)

Ironically enough, this was my first book I ever read by Newman, though I have long had both his Apologia Pro Vita Sua (considered by many the greatest autobiography in the English language) and his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine in print form. It makes me wish to read those as soon as I finish some of the books I am already working on....

October Books

Back to the Bible- Cuthbert Lately, S.J.

A book that responds to attacks made on the inspiration and authority of the Bible

Providentisimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII (with Discussion Club Outline)

An encyclical letter by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 also dealing with Scripture, promoting biblical reading and studies, as well as restating the Church's committment to the inerrancy of Scripture. (It is only a small booklet- this particular publisher included with it an outline as well as various study questions as well)

A Brief Life of Christ- Dr. Leslie Rumble

Another booklet (about 55 pages) whose title is self-explanatory.

The Cherokees Past and Present: An Authentic Guide to the Cherokee People- J. Ed. Sharpe

A book that briefly discusses the Cherokee culture (something I wish to learn more about
since I'm about two-fifths Cherokee)

Cautionary Tales for Children- Hilaire Belloc

I had read a couple of books by Belloc earlier in the year (Europe and the Faith and The Great Heresies), but this is a switch from his religious writing to a volume of his poetry, including such great ones as "Jim Who Ran Away From His Nurse and Was Eaten by Lion" (J.K. Rowling's favorite poem, if I remember correctly) and "Matilda Who Told Lies and Was Burned to Death" (the basis for the original lyrics to Pink Floyd's "Matilda Mother"). Needless to say, a fun book to read. lol.

The Inconvenient Adventures of Uncle Chestnut- Paul Nowak

A small book (about 55 pages or so) written for children that contains four stories giving a Chestertonian perspective on life, but also great for adults. They are very, very good

Finally, Chesterton books:

Magic- A play by Chesterton (his most successful, and the only one I had read so far).

William Blake- G.K. Chesterton

A biography on the artist/writer William Blake

George Bernard Shaw- G.K. Chesterton

Chesterton's work on his good friend George Bernard Shaw, in which he both praised and criticised Shaw and his work. Shaw himself described the book as the best written on him (though naturally he disagreed with a lot of the criticisms found in the book, of course).

Among some of the the things Chesterton praised Shaw for were his generosity, his bringing philosophy into the discussions of ordinary people where it should be as well, and for "slaying the polysyllable". His criticisms, however, included that Shaw was too serious ("the most savagely serious man of his time"), too much of a "Puritan", and too resistant to paradox. :-)

September/October Books: 12
Books read in 2009: 64